Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 7, 1928.

J. G. KING REFRIGERATING APPARATUS *Filed Nov. 26. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W WISM+HOW Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,341

J. G. KING REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFE...

JESSE G. KING, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T DELCO-LIGHT COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 26, 1923. Serial No. 577,137.

This invention relates to automatic controlling mechanisms, and more particularly to means for controlling the flow of refrigerant of a refrigerating machine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a refrigerating system in which normally a certain temperature may be obtained and in which the operation thereof may be changed to obtain temporarily a different temperature and to construct and arrange the control mechanism whereby the system is restored to normal condition auto matically after a predetermined operation of the modified phase.

In a patent to Bechtold and Mellowes, 1,478,421, patented December 25, 1923, there is disclosed a controlling device adapted to stop and start the cycles of a refrigerating machine in response to changes of pressure corresponding substantially to changes of temperature above and below a certain range in a part of the refrigerating apparatus, said controlling device including an operating member movable in response to variations of pressure in a pressure responsive device, and

a resistance device arranged to resist the movement of said member in one direction and capable of applying more or less resistance so that the limits of pressure under which the device will operate may be varied.

It is among the objects of the invention to cause one condensing period of a refrigerating cycle to be extended beyond the limit determined by the control mechanism rcferrel to, and to thereafter automatically restore the cycles to normal; and, in general to increase the flexibility of automatic control by manual"introduction of an auxiliary control to lower at will the lower limit of the pressure range at which operation is effected.

It may chance that, while it is desirable to set the control of a refrigerating machine so that the temperature at or in the vicinity of the expansion or cooling unit will be kept within a definite temperature range, say between 10 F. and28 F.,-or so that what .may be called the normal period of condensing or otherwise liquefying vaporized refrigerant may be started at 28 F. and stopped at 10 F., it may be desired to continue the condensing period,-the period of falling temperature within the refrigerator cabinetuntil the expansion unit and its vicinity has reached atemperature of, say 4 F., for the purpose of freezing water or desserts quickly. By this invention a control member may be instantly set by hand so as to continue one of the condensing periods in progress until the desired low temperature of 4 F. is reached at the expansion or cooling unit.

In the accompanying drawings in which like parts are indicated. by like reference characters,

Flg. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a refrigerating cabinet with the cover of the machine compartment removed and exposing the refrigerating machine therein;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of a controlling mechanism embodying this in- VQIIlZIOII showing movable elements of the mechanism in one position;

Fig. 3 1s a view similar to Fig. 2 but showmg the same movable elements in another position;

Fig. 4.- is a fragmentary sectional view taken on l1ne.44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View showing a modified form of the invention.

In the drawings there are illustrated exemplary' embodiments of the invention including a refrigerating cabinet inclosing a refrigerating apparatus of the compressorcondenser-expander circuit type for household use, in which a controlling device stops and starts the compressor in accordance with the pressure in the vapor or low pressure conduit, the compressor being started when a given relatively high pressure is reached corresponding to the upper limit of temperature to be maintained in the cabinet and stopped when a given lower pressure corresponding to the lower limit of temperature is reached. There is also illustrated a means controllable by hand which acts to retard the operation of the controller so that it will not stop the compressor until a considerably lower pressure and temperature is attained for one period of operation of the compressor, and then becomes automatically inoperative and restores the controller to its previous state so that the cycles go on as before.

Fig. l of the drawings, 20 indicates a refrigerator cabinet having a machine compartment 21, (the cover therefor being indicated removed) a food compartment having doors 22 and 23 and a cooling compartment having a door 24. A machine unit is housed within the compartment 21 and an expansion unit within the compartment that is closed by the door 24; said machine unit and expansion unit being connected, as usual, b high and low pressure fluid' conductors or the circulation of a refrigerant.

The machine unit 25 comprises a compressor 27 and a prime mover 26, which may be an electric motor, for driving the compressor. With the compressor 27 there is associated a condenser 28 into which the refrigerant is pumped, cooled and condensed, The machine unit illustrated is substantially the same as that shown in the patent to Bechtold and Mellowes, No. 1,276,612 patented August 20, 1918. Y

The expansion unit or boiler 30 comprises an expansion tank or header 31 having connected theretoevaporator coils 32; it is located within the cooling compartment of the cabinet 20 behind the door 24. A liquid or high pressure conductor 33 leads from the high pressure side of the compressor and to the condenser 28 and from said condenser to the lower portion of the expansion tank 31. A low pressure or vapor conductor 34 leads from the upper portion of tank 31 to the low pressure side of the compressor. Vaporous refrigerant is drawn from the expansion unit 30 into the compressor through the conductor 84. Removable trays 35 are slidably mounted within the evaporator coil 32; these trays are adapted to receive water,

desserts or the like to be congealed or frozen.

The motor 26 is intended to be started and stopped automatically by a controller indicated as a whole by 40, said controller being adapted to operate a snap switch (not shown) located in a switch box 41. The actuating mechanism for the switch includes aflexible diaphragm such as an expansible and contractible metal bellows 42, the interior of which may communicate with a source of fluid under pressure dependent directly or indirectly on the temperature at the expansion unit. In this embodiment the pipe 43 communicates at one end with the bellows 42, and at its other end with pipe 34 through coupling 44, and therefore with the low pressure side of the compressor.

The bellows 42 is mounted upon abase member 45 connected to switch box 41. 'Said base member supports a frame 46 by means of posts or standards 47. Depending from each side of frame 46 is a bearing member 48having a V-shaped notch at its lower end. Although only one member 48 is seen, in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be understood that a reverse elevation would appear the same. Bellows 42 supportsan arm 49, one

end of which is. connected by a link 50 with the corresponding end of frame 46. Arm 49 has an upward projecting bearing member 51 provided with a V-notch 51, the center a rod or link 54, while the other end of said lever carries a longitudinally slidable weight 55 which may be secured at diiferent points along said -lever by a set screw 56. A

' bracket 57 is mounted upon the top of frame 46, and a bracket 58 is. supported on the under side of said frame at the end adjacent the weighted arm of lever 52; both brackets may be secured to the frame by screws 59, Bracket 57 pivotally supports an arm 60 which carries a longitudinally slidable weight 61 which may be adjustably secured to said arm by a set screw 62. Weight 61 is capable of of movement of the weight'55 and is adapted to affect the operation of lever 52 and therefore of the switch.

The combination of the weighted switchoperating lever 52 with the pivoted arm 60 carrying the weight 61 is the subject of an application of Jesse Gr. King, and Sylvester M. Schweller, filed October 23, 1923, Ser. N0; 670,357. r

Bracket 58, which may be made from adjustment so as to lie in the path sheet metal, comprises two portions 64 and 65 arranged at an angle to each other. The upper end of part 64 is attached to the frame 46 and is provided with a slot 66 to guide the weighted arm of lever 52. Ears 67 .project laterally from the end of part 65, to each of which is connected one end of a coiled spring 68, the other ends of said springs being connected to lateral ears 68 projecting from the limbs of a pivoted U-shapedresistance member 69 adapted to be held by said springs in the path of downward movement of 'the' weighted arm of lever 52. The extremities of the limbs of said U-shaped member 69 are pivoted .to projections 64 formed on the part 64 of the bracket 58. The ends of springs 68 that are attached to the ears 67 of part 65 may be adjustably connected by threaded bolts 69 and nuts 69 so that their tension may be varied if desired.

Stops 70 on bracket part 64 limit the upthe position shown in Fig. 3, the line of pull of the sprin is below said pivot and tends to hold mem er 69 down.

The member 69 may be raised from its lower position to its upper position by a lever 72, here shown as U-shaped and pivoted by one of its limbs in bearing ears 73 projecting downward from opposite edges of part 65. Lever 72, when moved upward, en ages one of the ears 68 on member 69 anc also engages lever 52 to move said member 69 and lever 52 to the position shown in Fig. 2. A wire 74 is attached to the lever 72 by means of which said. lever may be lifted. Wire 74 extends upward and is attached to shank 75 of a handle 76. The shank 75 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 77 which extends from the interior to the exterior of a wall 78 of the cabinet. The sleeve 77 is curved inward and downward so that by pulling the handle 76 straight out from the front of the cabinet, the pull of the wire may be applied at substantially a right angle to the lever 72. Sleeve 77 may be externally screw threaded and clamped in position in the wall 78 by nuts 79.- A coil spring 80 is attached to and wound around the pivoted limb of lever 72 that extends between the bearing cars 73, while the other end of said spring presses against the under side of part 65 of bracket 58. The elastic force of this spring tends to hold lever 72 in its lower position; when the handle 76 is released, after having been pulled out to raise lever 72, the spring 80 will return it to the position shown in Fig.

3, and likewise return the handle 76 to normal position; the member 69, however, will remain in the position shown in Fig. 2 until pressed down by the fall of the weighted arm of switch actuating lever 52. v

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows:

Assuming that the expansion unit and its vicinity within the cabinet has attained a predetermined low temperature and that the condensing or compressing phase of a cycle has just ceased, then the elements of the con troller 40 will be in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Now when the air and other contents of the cabinet become warmer, heat will be transferred to the refrigerant in the expanding unit; as a consequence, the refrigerant in said unit and in said vapor conductor 34 will expand and its pressure will increase. The same pressure will of course exist in branch conductor 43 and will be transmitted to the bellows 42. Under this increase of pressure the bellows 42 will gradually expand and will therefore move the weighted arm of lever 52 upward, thereby moving the switch rod or link 54 downward. When the pressure in bellows 42 has risen to a predetermined point, the switch will have been mo d so far that it will be snapped to close the circuit to the motor 26. During the first part of the upward movement of weighted arm of lever 52, the

resistance to its movement is afforded solely movement of the lever 52 and that when the.

latter has moved to the switch-closing position, the member 69 will still be in the positionshown in Fig. 3, and will not retard the downward movement of the weighted arm.

The motor 26, now having been started by the described closure of the switch, will drive the compressor 27. The compressor will draw refrigerant from the evaporating unit 30 through the conductor 34 and pump it into the condenser 28 where it is cooled in any suitable manner; thence said condensed or liquid refrigerant will be forced through conductor 33 to the expanding unit 30. By drawing Vaporous refrigerant from the expanding unit 30 and conductor 24. the pressure in the conductors 34 and 43, and in the bellows 42, will decrease, thus permitting the bellows to gradually collapse and the weighted arm of lever 52 to fall. The downward movement of lever 60 and likewise of weight 61 is limited whereby, after a certain amount of contraction of bellows 42, the weight 55 alone is active. When the pressure within the bellows 42 has fallen to a predetermined amount, the lever 52 will have been rocked far enough to pull switch-link 54 upward a suflicient distance to open the switch and stop the motor.

Weight 55 may be adjusted on the lever 52 so that the extent to which the pressure value in the bellows 42 must fall before the temperature and pressure is reached, the supplementary weight 61 on pivoted arm 60 should then be so adjusted that the upper limit of temperature desired at the expansion unit and the corresponding pressure in bellows 42 must be attained before the switch is closed'to start the motor. Therefore, the temperatures and pressures at {which the compressor shall be started and stopped may be fixed independently.

In the operation of refrigerators thus far described, the normal condensing period. or period of falling temperature may not be of suflicient duration or afford sufiiciently low temperature to freeze water, desserts or the like, and it may therefore require several intermittent operations ofthe compressor extending over a relatively long period to effect the freezing. In the present invention, the compression phase can be extended over a greater period of time by pulling out the handle 7 6. By pulling out the handle 76 to the position shown in Fig. 4, lever 7 2 and member 69, which may be denominated the quick freezing device, will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The upward movement of lever 7 2 will also move the switch operating lever 52 into switch closing position, if it has not already been moved to this position by the expansion of bellows 4.2, so that if the compressor has not/already started it will be whenever the quick freezing device 69 is set. hen the handle 7 6 is released the lever 7 2 will return to normal position as shown in Fig. 3; however, the quick freezing device will remain in the position shown in Fig. 2. Member 9 and springs 68 counteract the downward movement of the weighted arm of lever after said lever engages said member; therefore, the pressure in the bellows and like wise the temperature of the refrigerant must fall to a lower degree than under normal conditions before the weight 55 overcomes the pressure within the bellows 42 and operates the switch to stop the motor. In this manner, the condensing phase of the cycle is prolonged and therefore the cooling hastened. After the temperature has fallen to the lower degree at which the switch will operate, the member 69 will movebeyond its 3 dead center position to the position shown vea in Fig. 8, where it will remain. The apparatus will then operate in accordance with the normal cycles.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the normal operation 'of the refrigerating apparatus can be controlled by a simple manual operation so that one compression phase will be longer than the compresion phase 'of any one normal refrigerating cycle.

Therefore, the time required for freezing water or a dessert can be materially reduced. The operation of the controlling mechanism at the end of one compression period renders the manually operated controller inoperative, so that abnormal cooling will not occur automatically'during a succeeding cycle unless the manually operative controlling element is again set as described.

The modification shown in Fig. 6 performs the same function as the controlling means shown in the other views. In the construction illustrated in this figure, an off-center weight 90 is used in place of the olf-center? springs 69.. A bracket 58 pivotally supports a bell-crank lever 87, one arm 88 of which is adapted to move between stops 7 0 and 71 which limit the movements of said lever. Arm 88 is provided with a transverse member-disposed beneath lever 52. The other arm 89 extends upward and carriers .it inoperative to resist movement of a weight 90 adjustably mounted thereon and held in place by a set screw 91. The weight 90 tends to maintain'the arm 88 against the stops or 71 according to whether the direction of gravitational pull is at one side or the other of the fulcrum. lVhen weight 90 is in the position shown, it will counteract the downward movement of lever 52. Arm 88 is provided with a laterally extending finger 92 which lies in the path of movement of lever 7 a and is engaged by said lever whereby the resistance lever 87 may be moved to position shown in the same manner as member 69 in the mechanism illustrated in the other views.

While I have exemplified my invention by specific embodiments, it is not my intention to limit the invention otherwise than by the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is as follows: l. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising 1n combination, an evaporator, means for withdrawing refrigerant medium from the evaporator and for condensing said medium and for forcing same into the evaporator, and mechanism including an operating device for controlling said means, said device being constructed and arranged so as to be responsive to the condition of the evaporator, a yieldable resistance element adapted to be set to cause'it to resist movement of the operating device in one direction of its movement, said element being responsive to said movement of the operating device and adapted to be rendered ineffective to resist the movement of the device after a certain operation of said device.

2. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising its movement, said pivotally mounted memher being responsive to the movement of the device to posltlon the element for rendering l the operating device.

3. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination, an evaporator, means for withdrawing refrigerant medium from the evaporator and for-condensing said medium and for forcing same into the evaporator,

and mechanism including an operating device for controlling said means, said device being constructed and arranged so as to be responslve' to the condition of the evaporator, a pivoted'member movable to either of its two positions, a spring arranged to exert its elastic force'to move the pivoted member in one direction or the other, said pivoted member being adapted to resist the movement of said device when said member is in a position in which the spring tends to move said member in a certain direction, said member being adapted to be moved by the operating device to a position in which the spring moves said member in the opposite direction, whereby said member is rendered inoperative to resist the movement of the operating device.

4. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination, a cabinet, a refrigerating -machine including a cooling unit within the cabinet, means for controlling the refrigeration cycles of the machine comprising an operating device, means responsive to changes of conditions of the unit for moving the operating device to start or stop the refrigeration cycles, a resistance member movable into and out of the path of movement of said operating device, said resistance member including means tending to retain said member in either of the positions to which it may be moved, and means whereby the resistance member .may be moved into the path of said operating device from the exterior of the cabinet.

5. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination, a cabinet, a refrigerating machine including a cooling unit within the cabinet, means for controlling the refrigeration cycles of the machine comprising an operating device, means aifectedby changes of conditions of the unit for moving the operating device to start or stop the cycles,

7 a resistance member adapted'to be moved into position where it resists the movement of said operating device toward avposition where it will stop the cycle, and to be moved by said operating device into an inact ve position, said resistance member includmg means tending to retain said member in the inactive positions when moved thereto, and a means accessible from the exterior of the cabinet for setting the resistance member in operative relation to the operating device.

6. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination, a cabinet, an evaporator within the cabinet, means for withdrawing refrigerantanedium from the evaporator and for condensing said medium and for forcing same into the evaporator, and mechanism including a pivoted operating device for controlling said means, said device being constructed and arranged so as to be responsive to changes of condition of the evaporator, and a pivoted resistance member adapted to be moved into or out of the path of movement of the operating device, said resistance mem-' ber comprising means. for holding it yieldably in operative or inoperative position with respect to the operating dev g e or acan automatic controller responsive to the condition of the evaporator for controlling said means for controlling the refrigerating cycle, and means associated with the controller for prolonging a phase of one cycle. said means being constructed and arranged to be rendered inoperative by said controller at the conclusion of said prolonged phase.

8. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination, an evaporator, means for withdrawing refrigerant medium from the evaporator and for condensing said medium and forcing same into the evaporator, and an automatic controller responsive to the condition of the evaporator for rendering said means operative and inoperative in accord ance with the upper and lower temperature limits of the evaporator, and means associated with the controller for prolonging the operation of said first means. said means being constructed and arranged to be rendered inoperative by said controller at the conclusion of prolonged operation.

9. A refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a cabinet, a cooling unit within the cabinet. means for circulating a refrigerating medium through said unit, control apparatus normally controlling the flow of said medium whereby to maintain said unit at a predetermined temperature. a device for temporarily modifying the circulation of said medium'whereby to obtain a different temperature, and provisions operated automatically after a predetermined operation of said device for restoring the system to normal operating condition, said device having a portion extending through a wall of the cabinet and operable for rendering said device operative.

10. A refrigerating system comprising. in combination. a cooling unit, means for cyclically circulating a refrigerant medium through said unit. control apparatus for controlling the circulating cycles of said medium whereby to maintain said unit at a predetermined temperature, a device for temporarily modifying the cycles of operation of said means whereby to obtain a difierent temperature in the unit, and provisions operated automatically after a predetermined operation of said device for restoring the system to normal operating condition.

11. A refrigerating system comprising a cooling unit, means forcirculating a refrigcrating medium through said unit, control ing the system to the normal control of said control means. g

12. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium through said unit, control apparatus for normally controlling the flow of said medium, means for temporarily modifying the operation of said circulating means, said last means including provisions operated automatically said unit, control apparatus for normallycontrolling the flow of said medium, means for temporarily modifying the operation of the control means, said last means including provisions operated automatically after a predetermined modified operation of said circulating means for restoring the system to the normal control of said control means.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature. v V

JESSE G; KING. 

